Why do you believe some SMs feel the need to embellish the level of their service by lying about their MOS or deployment experience?

Some folks just have a low self esteem I guess about what they actually accomplished. We're always gonna have that friend that likes to embellish or exaggerate their war stories( it makes for a good laugh when done right).

When I was in the tall tale was certainly common. "So there I was, no sh!t..." was almost always a prelude to one fish story or another.

I think it is low self esteem. My father did this he joined the Air Force during Vietnam, he was never deployed in country but he would tell everyone he had and from the stories I heard growing up being dragged around to vfw's and American legions you would think he was a seal ranger delta para rescue force recon green beret. Once I was older and realized why all the guys at the club usually just ignored him or wanted to kick his ass I couldn't figure out why he lied so much about his service. I mean he volunteered during war time he took his chances of being set it just worked out he didn't get deployed. The way I look at it if you had the balls to enlist knowing you could be sent to war it's enough to be proud of. I think no less of my soldiers who didn't deploy as long as they didn't do something to get out of a deployment.

IT depends on how much I was drinking. No seriously though, there is a lot of it and it has been going around for a very long time. I remember sitting at a bar with my dad after I returned from Afghanistan and listening to a, "Viet Nam Era" vet go on and on, I thought my dad was going to punch him.

Anyway, just ignore it. People will tell stories, the truth always comes out eventually.

From a personal perspective, i get doubts about my service. I mean seriously, who is this stupid?

A lot of folks do not like to admit that a lot of their time was pure bordom. Or they never deployed and feel i adequate. All kind of reasons.

If all know they are lies, why bother to listen. No shit stories always intrigued me. You knew what was happening but enjoyed anyway. Wannabes are obvious. Normally sitting over a drink wishing they had served in any capacity or had stayed for a career. Let's face it gentlemen, we are a unique entity and dontcha know, others can only admire us.

If I were to chime in, I'd say that it's for the recognition and respect of their peers. I think it's safe to say we all have some sort of rivalry and Type A personalities, so when someone comes in with a unique experience, we want to naturally match or top it. Aka, the one up syndrome. I also think people do it to bolster their self esteem. When people ask me the extent of my military service, its a two word answer "wrench turner". Did you ever deploy? Ever go down range? My answer "Nope, got a set of wings, an expert marksmanship badge, and five ribbons with some fancy gold stripes" and leave it at that.

I've never fully understood these actions. The only thing I can get for an idea as to why they do what they do (other than scamming for money), is some sort of search for an elevated self worth and validation of their life from others.

I still do not agree with how some people qualify themselves as SM. Technically by their definition I am a SM until I transfer out of the fleet reserves even though I retired 10 years ago and no one has ever been recalled to active duty in that case.